This article is part of our FantasyAces NBA series.
The NBA has a seven-game slate Monday, and the key to cashing on Fantasy Aces will be finding the right value plays to partner with the elite options. Here are a few possibilities:
Guard: C.J. McCollum, at MIN ($4,550): McCollum's price has not caught up to that of a player who is essentially averaging a fantasy point per minute over the season's first three games. The second-year guard is averaging 34.6 FantasyAces points over 34.7 minutes per game and gets a matchup with a fast-paced Timberwolves on Monday. Andrew Wiggins, who is still adjusting to his new shooting guard role, figures to draw primary responsibility on McCollum. While Wiggins has held his own on defense in the season's first two games, McCollum's quickness and speed figure to present more of a challenge than his first two opponents, the Nuggets' Gary Harris and the Lakers' Jordan Clarkson. Factor in that McCollum is Portland's most reliable source of offense not named Damian Lillard, and the $4,550 price tag is a bargain for a player penciled in for heavy minutes and plenty of opportunity.
Guard: Isaiah Canaan at PHI ($4,000): With a point guard depth chart decimated by injury in Philadelphia, Canaan continues to be the beneficiary of heavy minutes nightly. He is averaging 34.5 minutes per game over the Sixers' first two contests, and despite a very forgettable shooting performance in his last outing against a tough Jazz defense, he has filled out the stat sheet well. On Monday, the 24-year-old point guard gets a date with veteran Mo Williams, who Canaan should have a distinct quickness advantage over. With an average of 22 FantasyAces points over the first pair of games and guaranteed playing time, Canaan offers solid value at only $4,000.
Guard: Courtney Lee at GSW ($4,100): Lee admittedly does not usually provide much outside of scoring and plays on a team better known for defense, but there's no denying he's attained a certain level of consistency that makes his $4,100 price tag a potential bargain. The veteran guard has been logging steady minutes over the first three games, tallying over 30 minutes in two of them and playing 29 in the other. His offense has also been an upward trend since the beginning of the season, with his scoring climbing in each game and topping out at 15 against Brooklyn on Saturday. The Grizzlies will likely find themselves having to push the issue offensively a bit more than usual Monday to keep up with a red-hot Warriors squad, potentially setting the stage for one of Lee's more aggressive games.
Forward: Al-Farouq Aminu at MIN ($4,550): Much like his teammate C.J. McCollum, Aminu's price appears to be lagging a bit behind his production. With Portland starving for consistent offense in the wake of the departures of LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum, Aminu has displayed the ability to take some pressure off the shoulders of Damian Lillard and McCollum. Not only have his minutes risen in each of the first three games, Aminu is also finding ways to maximize them by contributing across the stat sheet. He's been a solid force on the boards with eight, 10, and seven rebounds in each game, respectively, and he already has one double-double. With 22, 26.50 and 30.25 FantasyAces points over his first three, Aminu offers solid value in a matchup against the fast-paced Timberwolves.
Forward: Harrison Barnes vs. MEM ($3,900): Playing in perhaps the most prolific offense in the league, Barnes is often overlooked as a solid source of fantasy points. At a considerably low $3,900, he jumps off the page as a great value proposition Monday, even against a tough Grizzlies defense. Barnes has started off the season with over 20 FantasyAces points in each of his three games, and has scored double-digit (real) points in his last two games. Barnes supplements his fantasy value greatly with his prowess on the boards, posting games with nine, five and seven rebounds. His ability to fill out the stat sheet, and what should be a secure allotment of minutes in a competitive matchup against Memphis, make him a great value at his reduced price.
Forward: Jerami Grant vs. CLE ($3,800): Grant may not be starting, but he is receiving a solid allotment of court time each night and doing plenty with it. He's averaging 25.5 minutes over his first two contests, and amassed an average of 21.38 FantasyAces points over that span. The second-year forward already looks like a more complete player than last year, supplementing his solid shooting with five and six-rebound efforts in his first two contests. His ability to contribute at both forward positions should help him stay on the floor enough to pay off his bargain $3,800 price.
Center: Clint Capela vs. OKA ($3,700): Capela has seen an early-season boost in playing time due to the absence of Dwight Howard, but he could find himself getting the start at power forward if Terrance Jones' facial injury forces him to miss a second consecutive game Monday. Capela is maximizing his time on the court with outstanding accuracy from the field, shooting at a 64 percent clip (12-for-16) over the first three games. His capacity for high fantasy efficiency was on full display Sunday against the Heat, totaling 17.25 FantasyAces points in only 14 minutes. With what should be a fast-paced matchup against the Thunder, Capela could be in line for another productive offensive outing that would give him a solid opportunity to pay off his bargain price tag.
Guard: Langston Galloway vs. SAS ($3,900): Veteran Jose Calderon may be the starter in name, but Galloway has outpaced him in playing time in each of the first three games. Galloway has played no fewer than 24 minutes in that trio of contests and has posted a pair of double-digit scoring performances in that span. He's been particularly prolific from long distance, shooting 67 percent from beyond the arc and already draining eight three-pointers. With an average of 25.6 FantasyAces points per game and the ability to stuff the stat sheet each time he takes the floor, Galloway offers considerable value.
Guard: Matthew Dellavedova at PHI ($3,000): As a primary backup at minimum price who is averaging well over a fantasy point a minute, Dellavedova seems like perhaps the most clear-cut value play Monday. The 25-year-old point guard is averaging 22 FantasyAces points per game over the first three in an average of only 17 minutes. While the playing time might seem a bit low, it's worth noting that Dellavedova has played at least 20 minutes in two of those three, including 27 on Friday against the Heat. He also could be in line for some extra playing time Monday if the Cavs can get out to a sizable enough lead against what should be an overmatched Sixers squad. At a bargain bin price of $3,000, Dellavedova appears more than capable of exceeding value, particularly against a poor defensive team.
